The Chronicles of the Red Hulk
by RitaHulk
Summary: Despite Hulk's heroic deeds, General Ross has made Dr. Bruce Banner an outlaw once again. Meanwhile, it appears that someone... or something else is creating Hulk-sized damage across America. The doctor is now accused of murdering several people, including one child. Will Dr. Banner succumb to the possibility that Hulk is a killer? Or will he try to use "other guy" to his benefit?
1. Chapter 1

Prolouge: Don't Make Yourself Angry, Banner

_3 months, 4 days, 18 hours since your last incident…_

I recalled how long it had been since my last incident in order to remind myself why it'd be a grave misfortune to let loose the "other guy" now. At this point, my last big Hulkout was my last real contribution as a member of the Avengers. _Now that ended in a bad way._

After that incident, it was farewell to clean clothes, a nice bed, and someone to talk to. It made me _angry _to think about it at times like those. _I need to keep optimistic. I need to pretend this is as good as it gets. As if I there are no better alternatives. OK. Life is good, Bruce. There's no place you rather be than hitchhiking in the middle of nowhere in the effort to find- judging by my location- the dirtiest motel you've ever seen thus far. God, this is stupid. Like I couldn't have been anyplace better with my doctorate's degree if it weren't for the "other guy." I can't even blame him. Tony Stark was willing to offer me a loft for god's sake if Ross hadn't… __**Grrr…**_

_3 months, 4 days, 18 hours. Keep it together._

I tried hard to keep my anger at bay. I just wanted to stay a _wee_ bit _frustrated _in order to have full control over _the "other guy_." It wasn't hard. Anyone would have been frustrated in my shoes. In fact, it was hard not to feel a little aggravated knowing that General Ross somehow ruined my fifteen minutes of fame and how he intervened while _**the Hulk**_was finally seen as national hero. That… _calm down… general _just wouldn't stop until every newspaper, TV channel, and radio station was talking about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s unethical uses of _the "other guy." _His farce was that New York was lucky he didn't somehow deconstruct Manhattan while he was smashing Chitauris. _And with that, I became a monster once again. You can never get a break can you, Banner? _

So no, it wasn't difficult to be frustrated at all. It was, however, a tad bit difficult to stop myself from crossing the line. I tried to think of the possibility that the Nazi general had a point. _Yea right. _Immediately abandoning that position, I tried not to think about the Avengers Initiative instead. It was just too good of a day to recount on such a horrible one. It made me too upset, and I didn't want to leave the government big radioactive footprints to follow. I had to hide to survive. And the last thing I needed was some poor smashed up hobo on my conscience.

I carried on, hitchhiking my way to find the cheapest motel and some off-the-books job in… wherever I was. I continued to walk down the empty stranded, dust ball road. _You used to be a scientist, Banner. You used to be a distinguished member of your field. Now look at you, begging for rides. Hoping to get a job as a janitor. It's fair to say that your PhD studies were a waste of 7 years. Going to Disney Land for 7 years would have been more productive._

It was a hot and humid day and there were no cars to be seen on the road. I could tell it was going to be another long day. My feet hurt and my body was aching from hunger and sleep deprivation but I had no place to go. Sometimes it made it easier to talk to myself. That way, I wouldn't feel too alone… or too angry.

I paused and looked behind me. _Is that a truck? _I quickly stuck out my thumb desperately. _If this guy doesn't pick me up, I'll be sleeping on the sidewalk._

OK, that is the prologue to give some background on where our hero has left off. I will be writing a new chapter every week so expect another by next Thursday (06/20/2012.) Keep in mind this is only an introduction so the other chapters will be much more meaty and action packed. Or in laymen's terms, SHIT WILL GO DOWN! Hope you enjoyed! xo Rita


	2. Chapter 2

Ch 1: The Hunt is On

The trucker pulled down the passenger's side window. "Hey, fella, where are you headed?" he said with a coarse voice. He hesitated for only a second to look the former scientist up and down. "You must be looking for a good place to eat around here, aren't ya, skinny? I'm headed to _Mike's_ up ahead. Got the best steaks in town if your game."

"Thanks," I said eagerly accepting the ride.

He wasn't the type of guy I would have generally hung around before my incident. But things had been different for quite some and so in that particular moment it was nothing to me. I was exhausted and a free meal was an offer I couldn't refuse. _I would take a ride from an underage driver at this point if it meant sitting down for ten minutes._

I hopped into his truck, excited to rest my head back and relax in the chair. However, I was interrupted by the trucker's sigh. "Hey, y'know what? I've been driving all day. You mind taking the wheel for me, son?" he requested.

I glared at him, a bit confused as to why he would trust a stranger to drive his truck. But I didn't have the nerve to complain. "Yea, sure. No problem. You'll direct me?"

Receiving an affirmative nod, we both left our position in the car. When we exchanged seats, I noticed there was a portable TV set between the steering wheel and what I believed to be a broken radio. It was turned onto CNN. _It has been so long since I was able to keep up on current events._

"Got to watch me some news from time to time. On the road so much, it's hard to keep up otherwise. Life of a trucker is hard." he interrupted. "Now you keep going straight for 20 miles. Colonial is the Landmark I use. Never get lost that way. _Mike's _is right to the left of it."

I realized this was probably not a four star place that he was talking about. Sounds_ like an A rated place. I just hope I don't catch E. coli. That'd probably be really bad for me. _"Anyway, the name's Larry." he said.

I realized he must've been really lonely to continuously attempt to converse with what could have possibly had been a crazy homeless man. However, I actually enjoyed it quite a bit considering that I too missed the company of others. It made me especially excited that he seemed to have no idea who I was and no intention to ask any questions that'd scare me away.

"I'm Tony." I lied. _Amazing how Stark is the first person that comes to your mind, Banner. _"It's really good of you to help me out here, Larry."

"Ah, just being a good Samaritan, boy." he smiled. He looked to the TV screen and put up the volume. "Don't mind me there, Tony. This is some interesting stuff here. I keep that TV on so I can sometimes get a glimpse of faces to remember what people look like. But I got my eyes on the road there, so I never really get to watch it real good. I'm glad I got you to take the wheel so I finally get the chance. At least you're earning your meal there, eh?"

I smiled. "Your too kind."

It got quiet. He was eagerly watching the news as if it would somehow bring him back to real world where something new was happening every day, besides dropping off and picking up items. I empathized with him so I left him alone to enjoy himself.

I couldn't wait to eat but I drove slow, listening to the TV and keeping my eyes on the road. I didn't want to cause Larry his job just because it had been awhile since I had driven anywhere.

The TV reception was fuzzy but I clearly understood what it had said, especially the "**Bbbbzzz bbbbzzz And for further news regarding the Incredible Hulk we bring to you General Thadeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross…." **part. That particular excerpt concerned me.

_It's incredible that Ross doesn't even have to be present to quite possibly ruin one of my good days. If they show a sketch of me, Larry is going to blow a fuse. Never mind dinner- I'll be lucky if he doesn't call the cops on me. Think, Bruce, think. Grr… why didn't you assume earlier that you could quite possibly be featured on only one of the largest new stations in America? It's not like you are wanted for petty theft. _"The hulk, huh?" Larry mumbled. "I heard about him."

I watched as the general came on screen, completely diverting my attention from the road altogether. _**"While this event is no surprise to me, I offer my condolences for the lives that had been taken and the families who have been effected in the events of this tragedy. When I received the word today, it only affirmed that me and my men had good reason to revoke Dr. Robert Bruce Banner's association with the SHIELD organization."**_

My heart picked up. I didn't understand what he was saying. _Whose lives? What families? It's been 3 months, 4 days, and… 20 hours since my last incident. What is he talking about? _ I continued to listen in a hot sweat, _**"This morning at exactly 9 AM we received word that a raging monster fitting the precise description of what we know as the Hulk had attacked and murdered several civilians, including the child Ricky Myers. Dr. Banner is a menace and must be stopped. If anyone has heard of his whereabouts, please contact us immediately."**_

_What? A child! I have control now. This… this can't be. It's been too long… I think I would have remembered… a child… grr… _My mind was racing and my heart was fluttering uncontrollably. I didn't know what to believe, but the possibility that I had done such a thing was too much for me take.

I couldn't hold back. My mind became hazy like it had stepped into a mushroom cloud, and my body ached in pain. I opened the car door huddled in pain on the ground, ripping off my shirt for some type of release as my body grew into the mutated creature I tried so hard to suppress.

I faintly heard the trucker shut the TV before the profile picture could have possibly emerged on the screen. "That's nonsense isn't it?" he said nonchalantly closing his truck door. "The Hulk was a hero. Ain't that right, Bruce?" He stepped outside.


End file.
